Wednesday, August 22, 2012

"Semi-" Wordless Wednesday: Cleaning Out a Grain Bin

So this is what I helped my hubby and FIL do yesterday: Fill 2 1/2 semis with corn. It comes out nice and easy with augers UNTIL you get down to the last couple of loads. Then someone has to start in on the sweet-talkin' because "Somebody" has to go in and start scooping, and sweeping and blowing corn into the sweep auger to get every last gosh darn kernel out. They are worth about a penny each these days! (ok , not quite, but the price is still going up because there just isn't a whole heck of a lot out there in the fields!)

This is me going in for my second shift. It isn't a very pretty sight when I come out, so I spared you those pictures. Let's just say I run to the air compressor, and we have ourselves a bit of personal time getting corn dust out of about any place you might imagine it being.

This is a sweep auger. Thanks to that little motor at the bottom of the picture, it toodles itself around the bin auguring out the corn. I imagine it's kind of like one of those little robot sweepers you let roam in your house all night. (Do those really work?)

The corn goes down one of two places in the bin, but the main hole is right underneath the motor. There is another auger under it that takes it on out to the big auger that dumps into the truck.

As you might be able to tell from the picture above, there is some spilling and running over as the corn hill comes down, so at least one person needs to be inside, helping get this corn back on the right side of the auger! Here are your tools:

Here, you can see a better picture of the auger that takes the corn to the middle of the bin and sends it on its way out to the truck.

Once everything is turned on, it gets VERY LOUD AND DUSTY IN THE BIN!

Hey TLHS peeps, like the shirt? Sorry BCHC peeps, but I honestly don't have any green and gold yet????

Ok, so why the heck am I in there doing something that belongs on "Dirty Jobs?" Well...... Tall Guy has had three back operations, and Gpa is up at least one heart operation on me, so I would rather pitch in and help than find myself having to do it all. You MUST wear a mask, and my allergies are going to cranky that I didn't have goggles on, but you seriously could not see after a while if you wore them.

And that was how I spent my Tuesday morning. After that, I made lunch and ran to Illinois for parts! All in a day's work for a Real Farmwife of America. ;-)

Farming is NOT a job for the faint of heart, literally or figuratively. It can be a huge demand on the body at times, and then with the drought this year, it also taxes the mind 24/7. But we love it, and it's what we do, so we keep trying to do it to the best of our abilities. Thanks Bonnie!

Seriously, way to step it up! Farming sure isn't for the faint of heart...more like for those with hearts of steel! Hoping and praying that the drought turns around next year. I've loved looking at your green grass photos.

Now, if only they sold those sweep augers to help clean my kids' rooms :)

Hi Lana, I always love reading your blog. Since I was born and raised a city gal, I know NOTHING about farming... SO--this is all a new experience for me, and so interesting. You are right: Farming is not for the faint of heart!

You are right that your life is definitely not for faint of heart. It is so interesting for those of us NON farmers to get a peak into your life tho and am always excited to check in to learn more about the life you live.